Different Worlds
by Moonlight Scion
Summary: He seeks her out for a long time, only to have the twisted hand of Fate torn them apart by a gruesome accident. But their incomplete bond tied their soul together, neither leaving the other one behind.Will their love survive even beyond death?


**AN**: Revised version of **different worlds**…All thanks to **Casedeputy** for beta-ing this piece for me…(Sam-chan! Arigatou, this is wonderful. ^_^. Thank you from the bottom of my shameless heart.*grins*)

Inspired by Hale's "Magkaibang Mundo" music video…. How sad… T_T (sniff sniff)

**Disclaimer:** never own the cast of Inuyasha…another sad truth to recon with… (sigh)

**OoOoO**

**DIFFERENT WORLDS**

**By Moonlight Scion**

_"Wake up soon, Koi."_ He whispers as his clawed hand, adorned with two burgundy stripes reached to her badly bruised face. She didn't even stir from his touch, but a tear trickles down from her closed eyes trailing near her ear and into her ebony black hair.

His heart, now devoid from the barrier of ice that once protected it from any emotions, ached from the tears that spilled from her. He surveyed her pitiful appearance. Bandages covered her head, her right arm heavily bruised, her right leg with a heavy cast to hold her broken bones in place, and her face; the face often filled with emotions, now half covered with bandages; some of the exposed part, purple and black from bruises which only look worse over her pale skin. Her lips, those sweet pink lips that he loves to nibble and tease as they kiss, got an unforgiving cut with a purple-blue bruise on the side, same color as the bruise barely visible just beneath the gauze that covered her head near her temple. Her right eye that's not covered, now closed, those eyes that looked at him and made him feel warm inside, now sporting a rather sore cut right above her cheekbone and beneath her right eye. He knew the left side of her face would look worse with all those burns. Cuts and wounds can be seen on her exposed neck and left arms.

Her appearance of total helplessness and great pain evoked emotions from his normally expressionless golden eyes.

Sesshomaru sat beside her hospital bed. The sound and scent of his surroundings was lost to him as he stared at the frail body. Her heartbeat, the only sound that he permits himself to listen to, the rhythms relaxing him, as he ignore even the sounds of the dripping liquid from the tube hanging near her that was connected at the back of her left hand, or the noise of civilization beyond the window. The leaves barely made a move by the soft breeze outside.

The humid air never phases his appearance. His long silver hair is held in a low ponytail trailing down behind him, creating a contrast of color with his black pants and black long sleeves. The heat never seems to touch his cold aura, not even a traitorous sweat to give his skin a bit of sheen. He looks out of place within the pristine white room filled with different flowers in a wall beside the bed where Kagome lay.

_'She almost lost her life…she was with me yet she suffered from that accident, barely alive.'_ His chin resting on the back of his intertwined fingers, elbows on top of his knees. In all of his long existence, he never felt so weak and helpless not even at that unfortunate moment, until now. His pride, just as bruised as Kagome's body. _'I should have done more to protect her…I should have done more.'_

Why did the twisted hand of fate decided to play on them on that faithful day? Of all days, why on the day he had chosen to seal most of his youki to prepare for his mating gift for Kagome , an eternal life for her to be with him in exchange for a few days of weakness and mortality.

**OoOoO**

During her surprising appearance in Sengoku Jidai, his first irritation of the human miko changed into a mere curiosity of the miko's strange personality, not to mention the indecent garment that most of the time made him quirk a brow. Her character was just way off from her surroundings. Each time he fought with his half-brother Inuyasha, she was always there, bravely supporting the hanyou, and sometimes tipping the scale of the battle to their advantage. Even defying and insulting him at times in defense of Inuyasha. It irked him, her insolence, yet her unwavering loyalty to her friends made her earn his respect, something as rare as his smile.

But even that rarity comes from time to time as his curiosity grew to obsession. He stalks her around as he cloaks his presence. Though he would never admit it before for the life of him, but the mere sight of her, laughing and full of life made him smile, he sighed as he shook his head in amusement when she fumbles due to her clumsiness, he growls in anger and frustration when he scented her blood and knew she was hurt and afraid, he felt a twinge of jealousy course through him whenever she climbs on the back of his half-brother as they travel, he even enjoys watching her take a bath even from a far and he almost lost his indifferent façade when the embodiment of evil within the Shikon no Tama sealed Kagome's movement and power right in front of her friends.

He had saved her numerous times without giving away the fact that his presence there wasn't just a coincidence. Most of the time, he saved her and her friends without them even knowing that the danger had come and pass as they slept around the camp fire.

During their final battle against the bastard hanyou Naraku, he tried to keep his distance from her, seeing Kagome with Inuyasha had been agonizing as if seeing their future to be together, its possibility to be sealed. But just like always, she needed his protection, and as strange as it was he protected her from Naraku, from the evil entity within the Shikon and from the possessed Inuyasha during the last face off.

After the battle, she was absorbed within the Shikon because of Naraku's wish and even the well, which he now knew as her portal back to her own era, vanished along with her. Then Inuyasha used the Meido attack to follow her. For the first time he felt something gnarl at him inside. It was unsettling.

He stayed there, well hidden from anyone as he waits for her return. After three days the well reappeared along with Inuyasha. But Kagome never appears after that.

Every day he watched Inuyasha's vigil beside the well. For three years, he had found out what happened to her and the Shikon. She's now back to her own era, five centuries into the future.

Years pass him by in the blink of an eye. The miko's friends expanded their family until they died of old age.

"Even Rin, my sweet little ward grew and mated or married in human culture, to the young taijiya, Kohaku." The boy being one of the very few, who can actually come up and ask for Rin's hand in marriage. Most where just too afraid of him, some even soiled their hakamas. The only reason he didn't kill most of the human suitors was the young girl who grew up to be a beautiful young lady. She still tagged at his vast sleeves whenever his claws twitched in irritation.

Even Inuyasha tried to move on, staying with his friends till their last breath and looking after their many descendants. But he, Sesshomaru still remained the same.

He thread along the river of time fulfilling his duties to his territory, as a means to keep him from being broken. He used most of his time trying to keep a tab on the miko's whereabouts. He even went so far as to build the shrine that she will someday live in, a knowledge that he gained from Inuyasha when they finally got over their differences. It was designed as close as possible to what his brother described her home to be.

OoOoO

After half millennia of waiting, her sweet scent of Sakura blossoms, moonflower and rain filled his lungs. It was coming from a little girl playing under the Goshinboku tree at the shrine. He finally found her. The young girl smiled at him and greeted him cheerfully with her childish yet familiar voice. Since then, he watched her from afar, not wanting to change her future that was once his past. It was hard for him to just observe as she grew up and was pulled into the well by the centipede youkai. And then after a while, she was jumping in and out of the well every week; her injuries varying from a few gashes into somewhat bloody slashes. It took him all his iron will and of great effort to keep him from grabbing and outright telling her about her adventures that will someday lead her to him. He just stood by waiting for the final glow of the well and the indication of her last travel through time. The well has finally closed down on her.

He never anticipated just how tough it would be for him to watch her cry as she attempts to jump in to the well, hoping it will send her once more back in time. He wanted so desperately to go to her at that instant to hold and comfort her. But he never let his resolve falter, he just stood and observed her as months pass by and she gradually adjusts to her new life…without the well…without her friends and life from Sengoku Jidai.

**OoOoO**

He waited for a few more months before he finally approached her. But from what he could see, she is still very much in love with Inuyasha…and still very lonely after the well loses its power even after so many months.

"Miko." He finally managed to utter with the most passive voice he could muster.

Kagome was leaning against the Goshinboku near her home; her eyes were closed as her mind wondered back to the past that she missed so much. Her heart jumped, the voice seems familiar, and the fact that nobody in her era called her that title made her throat dry.

When she opened her eyes the golden eyes and long silver hair where the first she sees that she almost jumped up to glomp the youkai… almost, because her eyes quickly fell on the markings on his face that he let become visible for her to see as soon as he took off the ring that held his concealing charm.

Her emotions were quickly replacing each that the subtle changes of her scent tickles his nostrils, until her emotions settle to being that of wonder and her loneliness ebbed from the prospect of having someone who also shares a very distant past. Her loneliness must have been way too much then that she never even thought of him as a threat. He was with them during the last battle and he saved her. That's all that matters.

"Sesshoumaru." She smiled at him. That wonderful smile that he always wished to see and long for in the last five centuries, finally brightening his life again, and this time it was really meant for him.

It was too much that he let his mask fall apart and smiled back at her. A real one that made his golden eyes gleams with emotions he kept hidden for so long. Then he chuckled, amused at the sight of her surprised, a bit dazed look, and at the blush that suddenly flared up afterwards. That was the start.

**OoOoO**

At first they became friends, someone to share all those long missed memories. He patiently answered all her questions. Of course it was hard for him to see her cry when he told her about Inuyasha's demise just a hundred years ago. He is after all a hanyou, his human blood still aged him faster than a full-youkai. But he reassured her that he lived a happy life.

He stayed beside her for two years until he finally felt that she too was ready to move on.

Kagome will be graduating from high school and her eighteenth birthday is coming soon. After living for more than fifteen centuries, he knew most of the human cultures and decided to talk her family into having a very special celebration for her coming of age.

That is when he asked her permission to court her formally, and the blushing debutant said yes.

Sesshoumaru knew about her dreams of finishing high school and attending college and so he agreed to wait till she graduated high school before taking her as his mate and even gave his word that he would support her if she decided to go to a university.

**OoOoO**

It was a year of blissful happiness until she finally got her high school diploma. He attended her graduation ceremony which could have made it to the national newspaper, since he is a very well-known CEO of chains of successful companies in the whole of Japan, his staff, mostly youkai and hanyou managed the news block out quite effectively. He wants to make sure Kagome will have a normal life until they are mated. But of course the giggling, staring, hooting, and whispering that surrounds them during the ceremony is something that can't be helped, he did stand out among humans and seeing that all his affection is focused only on Kagome, she became the center of envy of every woman in her campus. Not that it mattered to him.

After the ceremony, he takes her out for dinner, and proposed to her, asking her to be his mate. She accepted of course with tearful eyes.

**OoOoO**

"I'll pick you up next week, koi." He said as he held her hands in his, ambling up the long stairway to the shrine.

"Why next week?" Kagome ask as she smiles at him. "I thought our uhm…mating… will be after a month?" she said blushing.

"Because my dear little miko, I want to give you my mating gift as soon as I can. It will be ready by next week, so wait for me." He answered as he held her close to him and lightly kissed her pink lips.

**OoOoO**

A whole week he stayed within his own room, an old scroll sprawled open above his table, an old knowledge within, passed on from generation to generation, and a glowing orb the size of the shikon no tama hovers just above his open palm. It was a success, he just needed to give it to her as soon as it completed within a few more hours. All his sacrifices will be worth it…to be a weak mortal for a whole week in exchange for a bond between him and his mate to prolong her life. "She'll live as long as I'm alive. Indeed, this is all worth it." He closed his palm and put the fragile orb within a small chest box stuffed with silver silk swirling with a sealing charm and put it in his pocket as he walked out of his home. It's now time to pick up his intended.

"Just a few more hours of weakness." He whispers as he put the cloaking ring on his finger, the spell slowly altering his youkai attributes to look like a human. It was something that all youkai had been doing for the past 300 years now.

**OoOoO**

Kagome fidgeted as she walked to and fro inside her room. She wrings her hands from time to time and looks at the clock placed on top of her side table. Then she stopped, her hands awkwardly frozen in the air in the middle of wringing it out of her nervousness when she heard a car. She smiled as she felt his youki coming up the stairs of the shrine and frowned.

"What's wrong with him? I could barely feel his youki today." She utters as she walks down the stairs to their living room. But when she saw the gorgeous taiyoukai smiling at her upon entering their door, all her thoughts vanished. Her frown changed into an endearing smile.

"Lord of oozing pheromone." She whispered inaudibly with a sigh and blushed when he arcs a brow as he obviously heard her, his eyes glowing with amusement.

"Shall we?"

They said their farewells to her family before setting out and into the awaiting car. Kagome grins sheepishly as she stares at the red Ferrari parked in front of the shrine's stairs.

"At least it's not a limo this time." She smiled at him, remembering how red she was when he picked her up from her school once, in a very white limo. It took a whole semester before half of her campus forgot that.

**OoOoO**

The drive was a peaceful one, after they had their dinner in a fine dining restaurant they drove through the hills for an overlooking view of the city. It was a new moon. The lights from the city were beautiful, but the unusually brighter stars were magnificent without the glow of the moon.

They sat on the grass near the edge of the cliff, looking beyond the beauty of nature and technology. He held her close as he offered her his closed palm; she looked at him and opened her hands up to him. He placed the small chest box on the palm of her hand as it glowed.

"What's this?" she asked as she takes the orb from its confinement and onto her open palm. It glows more brightly and pulsed, emitting warmth that seems relaxing to her.

"That koi is my mating gift. It is my compressed pure youki; it will act as a bond between you and me. You will live as long as I do." He explained looking into her eyes, trying to reach into her to see if she would accept it or not.

"Thanks, Sesshoumaru. I really appreciate it. I was afraid that I might leave you alone knowing that my life would be shorter than yours…" She said her eyes glistening with tears. She then remembered his very low amount of youki that she had felt since he arrived at her home.

"Sesshoumaru, is this the reason why your youki right now… it's like it was diminished. I don't mean you've become weak, I know you'll always be strong, but it feels different today." Her concern, pouring through her every word.

Sesshoumaru looked at her, trying to gauge whether to tell her or not. But seeing how much she hated being lied to, he chose to tell the truth.

"Hn. I have to endure being a mortal for a whole week so I could conjure this much youki to make the bond possible. At the moment, as you can feel, I am in my most…_fragile_ state. But do not concern yourself over this; it will end by the next sunrise. For now, we must complete the bond before the sun comes up. Are you ready, my mate?"

Seeing just how great of a sacrifice it is to him, she appreciates it more. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru, for a wonderful gift, and for telling me the truth. I appreciate it more than I could possibly tell you. I'm ready. Is there anything I have to do?"

"Hn. I want you to relax and let me do the rest. It might sting a bit but nothing more, koi." With that said he tipped her chin up lightly and kissed her lips. It was at first a gentle coaxing kiss. But as their kiss deepens and moans were heard he bit the inner side of his lip with his fang and then her lower lip until a steady flow of blood comes out. She barely whimpers before he kissed her again, drawing in the blood from her lip in his and his into hers. Their blood mixes between them in a metallic tasting kiss. The orb, still clutched between Kagome's hands glowed brightly until it erupts into energy form and the youki surrounds her and slips into her body. At first there was nothing as they continue on their unending kiss, then she felt warm, until the warmth changed into something smoldering hot. She was pulled out from the kiss and into the pit of convulsions her body was pushed into.

Her body is trying to accommodate two sets of energy, her reiki and his youki; it was both fighting for dominance. She barely heard Sesshomaru's concerned voice as he wrapped his arms around her shaking form. He was trying to ease her pain as he controls his youki that entered her body; he tried his best to relax her body so she could put a control on her reiki. She must try to accept the youki as part of her before she unknowingly purifies it.

Sesshoumaru draws relaxing circles with the palm of his hand on her back as he whispers loving words in her ear. Hushing her to relax and encouraging her to comfort her raging reiki. After a few moments the glow that surrounds her from her uncontrolled reiki ebbed back into her, her body slowly relaxing in his arms and then it was over. She smiled at him, a bit exhausted from the raging opposite energies that rumbled within her a few moments ago.

"Forgive me, koi. The pain was not something I expected. If I knew, I wouldn't have…"

"No, don't say that…I appreciate it still even though it is a bit painful at first. But I'm fine now. You don't have to worry, a little pain in exchange for an eternity with you? I wouldn't ask for more, koishi. It is worth every pain." She smiled at him and gave him a reassuring kiss.

He held her tight and allowed her scent to comfort his frayed nerves. Her reaction to his youki unsettled him. It was unexpected.

Then he felt her lithe body shiver from the cold breeze. "I better take you back home. It is getting cold."

Kagome sighed as her head rested on his broad chest. She obviously doesn't want to end their time together yet. "I guess we should…after all…" she looked up and stared at his eyes and smiled "…we've got an eternity together, right?"

Sesshoumaru smiled back at her, something he does only when she's around. "Hai, but not just yet, it is just a partial bond…" he kissed her gently on her lips then trailing to her ear."…but it will be complete soon…" he whispered as he made trailing kisses down her jaw line, to her throat, and settled on the juncture between her neck and shoulder. "…right after I have marked you for mine…" his voice was low and husky as he kisses her, sucking teasingly and gently nipping at her skin where his mark will soon be.

He traced his fangs over her hot skin; just enough to draw tiny droplets of her blood and lick it to soothe her skin. Kagome moaned as he growled in her throat in reply.

Then the cold breeze made itself known as Kagome shivered again. Sesshoumaru chuckled as he nuzzled her throat for the last time before helping her up to her feet. "I really ought to take you home or you will be cold."

They walked hand in hand towards his car. It was already past midnight and they still were a few hours' drive away from the city.

**OoOoO**

Sesshoumaru silently drove around the mountain pass, downhill into the darkness of the moonless night.

He asked her to open the compartment in front of the passenger seat where Kagome sat. Inside, she found a small rectangular velvet black box. She gave Sesshoumaru a questioning look.

"Open it, koi. It is for you." He said his eyes still on the road as he drove.

"You didn't have to…I didn't even have anything for you." She mumbled.

Sesshoumaru just gave her a smile and he reached out to her and gently squeezed her hand holding the velvet box.

"Nonsense, I want you to have that. And having you as my mate is more than enough, material things matter not to me."

Kagome smiled and opened the box. She gasped as soon as the gem-studded white gold bangle came into view.

"It's beautiful…thank you…though I think it is too much…still I thank you…I'll treasure it." She touched the blue crescent moon shaped diamond in the center of the bangle and surprised to find it warm and pulsating with a bit of energy.

"It's a protection charm." He answered her inquiring look.

Kagome picked up the bangle from the box and gazed at the intricate design when she glimpsed at something embossed in the inner side of the bangle.

She tipped it a little towards the dim light within the car as she tried to read it.

Sesshomaru gazed at her. The bangle was something he designed himself and specifically ordered to be made for her. It was delivered to him just before he picked her up and he had almost forgotten about it until they finally sat in the car to drive her home. He was anticipating seeing how she would react about it. He felt his pride swell up as she glowed in astonishment at the gift. He knew she was not like any other women who only saw the monetary value of every material thing, Kagome looks at the thought behind it, but it wouldn't hurt to go overboard from time to time, he could afford it anyway.

Sesshoumaru looked at her out of the corner of his eyes as she tried to read the embossed words within the bangle and smiled as she squinted her eyes. He's been too preoccupied that he almost didn't notice that they were going straight to a blind curve in a downhill slope. His quick reflexes barely manage to turn the wheel but Kagome was surprised by the sudden swivel of the car and dropped the bangle below their seat. By instinct she moved to grope below their seats in the dark but it rolled under the driver's seat. She unsnaped her seatbelt as she tried to reach for it again.

Sesshomaru sighed and smiled at her as he helped her pick up the dropped gift, seeing that the bangle was just beside his feet.

It was just a few seconds…just a few unfortunate seconds…and everything went wrong.

He couldn't have known that a delivery truck moving faster than allowed, just to catch up on its deadline would suddenly appear in front of their car. Or the fact that the driver of the said delivery truck would suddenly have a cardiac arrest while driving and losing control of the wheels. No, he couldn't have known that, or the truth that his mortally weakened state would prove to be fatal for both of them.

It all happened too fast, he barely managed to stir the wheels making sure Kagome would be farther away from the impact when the truck suddenly swerved on their side of the lane. He tried to cover her with his body in a desperate attempt to shield her from harm.

**OoOoO**

_'Wake up, koi.'_

_'Sesshomaru?'_

_'Open your eyes…'_

Kagome felt a light touch on her lips. It was a gentle kiss, but somehow that simple touch pulled her soul from the darkness she was in.

Her eyes moved behind her eyelids. Slowly, she opened her eyes and abruptly closing them again against the penetrating brightness of her surroundings.

"Kagome."

"Mom?" Kagome croaked just above a whisper, her throat hurt.

"Where are we? Sesshoumaru? Mom, where is he?" her voice hoarse from being unused.

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes were pained and unshed tears glazed her weary eyes. Her whole features spoke of fatigue. Kagome saw her bite her quivering lower lip as she trembled.

"Mom?"

"K-Kagome, honey-"

Kagome slowly touched her left cheek and found the bandage covering almost half of her face and over her left eye. Something caught Kagome's attention from the corner of her only available eye. There, on top of her side table lay innocently the white gold bangle, gem–studded with a blue crescent moon shaped diamond design, glinting from the sunlight that passed through her window.

At first she lay there just staring at it until finally realization slips in. Her eye slowly grew wide as something cold crept in to her chest, unmercifully gripping her heart. The memory of the accident pouring into her numb brain and tears suddenly flowed freely as her heart began beating frantically.

"M-Mom…where's Sesshoumaru?"

Her mother opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She bites into her lower lip to stop it from quivering once more. She wants to be strong for her daughter but the look on Kagome's face shatters her.

"N-No…H-he's fine, r-right?" she barely mumbled. The scream of denial that followed has Kagome's voice, it was her own, but it didn't seem part of her. It seemed to come from the wind. She didn't even realize she had gripped the blanket over her so tightly that her wounds opened anew. She didn't recognize anything at all but the unspoken words of her mother and the memories that were slowly coming back into her mind that had snuffed out her existence. The tears pouring down from her eyes drenching the bandage that was covering half of her face, before the darkness took her again. The memory of the accident haunted her even in her dreams.

**OoOoO**

There was smoke, a lot. The smell of gasoline and something burning was stinging her eyes and nose. Something heavy was pressed beside her. She reached out at her throbbing head and felt something silky, long and a bit wet with sticky liquid was covering her. She opened her eyes to find a throat trickled with blood right in front her. Kagome tried to move and felt great pain shoot through her right leg completely trapped within the metal scrap that was once the front of their thrashed car.

"Oh, Kami, no. No!" This can't be happening. It was just a horrible nightmare. Blood streaked his face. Broken glass from the shattered windshield was scattered on their bodies and in his long mane. Some bigger pieces of the sharp shards were still sticking out of the openly bleeding wounds in his arms and probably on his back. He was so still. She swallowed the sob in her throat and ran her hand over his chest. She was at least relieved to hear his heart beating as she leaned closer to him and heard him groan.

"S-Sesshomaru?" she asked shakily as she touched his cheek. A deep gash was openly bleeding on his forehead and somewhere behind his head.

She was afraid to move him, she was afraid that it might make his injuries worse. "Sesshomaru…please wake up…" she pleaded as she gently shoved at his chest.

"Sesshomaru.." She stopped as her breath caught in her throat. He stirred then. Relief washed through her and she touched his cheek, calling his name again. He slowly moved to her side gritting his teeth from the pain. She almost screamed at the sight of his mangled lower limbs, within the once was engine and what must have been the door to his side. There was too much blood and the now flaming front of the car, to help her see clearly the damage he took to protect her. He was bleeding in different parts of his body with all those open wounds, broken bones protruded from his lower limbs at odd angles and she knew he must have internal bleeding as soon as she saw blood coming out of his mouth, nose and ears. "…o-oh no…S-Sesshomaru…" She croaked as her tears flow.

Kagome held onto his face gently as he moved again to look at her. His eyes were glazed and a bit unfocused as he tried to speak. She couldn't hear him clearly with all the commotion outside their flaming car. Somebody must have called about the accident and police cars, ambulances and fire trucks must be nearby but she didn't care. A medic was trying to reach her from her side of the window but she didn't look. She was busy trying to hear the taiyoukai's words as she leaned closer. "K-Kagome…I-I'm…Forgive me…koi…I-I can't…"

Kagome couldn't understand why he was saying those words. Why ask for forgiveness for something he didn't do on purpose? "Koishi…hang in there for me…help is here. We'll be out of here soon…so please hang on…p-please..." she almost choked as he weakly smiled at her. It must have been painful for him to move but he still did as he placed his hand gently to touch her cheek and wipe away her tears, mindful of his still hidden claws by the ring that holds his cloaking spell.

"B-Be strong, koi…Be strong and live, my b-beloved mik-…" He never had the chance to finish his words as his hand slid down to Kagome's side.

Kagome's eyes widened, she was in shock to see him so weak and shook her head from side to side trying to deny the possibility of something wrong ever happening to him. He is strong…he will never die…he could never die… he must not die…Her thoughts were jumbling and tumbled down in her frazzled mind. She heard a scream, it could have been her voice screaming wildly for Sesshoumaru but her mind just wouldn't let any reasonable processing be done at the moment. This is just not possible. It must all be a nightmare.

She pressed herself into his chest. There was no heartbeat. But still she denied those facts. He's a powerful taiyoukai. This accident shouldn't kill him, right? Then she saw the small chest box that once held the 'mating gift' orb, wrecked and deformed. Her chest constricted once more as she peered into her surroundings, the sky is still dark. His youki was still too low for him to heal himself, still too low for him to brace the impact of the crash. He was too weak to protect them, because of the gift…his gift for her…

No…she doesn't want that gift anymore…it was nothing now. Senseless and turned into nothing but worthless…She couldn't live with him now…Then denied it all again, her mind locking out on her as she tried and tried to deny everything. She held on to his unmoving body tightly, afraid that he will vanish in front of her.

She barely felt the pain as someone pulled her out of the burning car. She felt something sting her face, it felt hot. The flame must have grown bigger…Fire!… No!

Her eyes snapped back into focus as she looked into the mangled car as two medics and a few firemen pulled her out to safety. The fire was consuming most of the car now and they were trying desperately to stop the flame or risk the car exploding.

She could see the flame licking the form still unmoving within the car. It was unnerving to see him not minding the flame that slowly burned his long mane. She desperately tried to stand up and run to him. But she was securely strapped in a stretcher. She screamed at them to save him. She pleaded, begged and cursed at them for moving so slow. She was frantic. Kagome could see that they were doing their best to stop the fire and help her trapped taiyoukai out of the flaming car, but all she could think of at the moment is that they were not doing enough.

She tried desperately to free herself. Damn those straps, damn them all but she would want to get to him. Try to wake him up…She saw the horizon turns into a dark range of orange, it was but just a sliver of light but she knew it will be dawn soon… His strength will be back and he will survive. She knew it…just a little more…he will come out of the car like nothing happened and pick her up…then somebody shouts as she was shoved farther into safety.

Then the loud explosion and big eruption of fire and bits of metal flinging into the air shaking everyone from the force of the blast, shatters her last bit of hope…

"N-No….nononononono..."as she shook her head in denial…

"N-NOOOOOO! SESSHOMARUUUU!" It sounds foreign to her…the scream that pierced through that unfortunate night seems to be somewhere else…and then there was nothing but darkness…the oblivion of unconsciousness took her into its depth…

**OoOoO**

He stood there, silently looking at his intended as she cried every time she woke up in the hospital. She has been in denial for a whole month even if the news about his death was flashed repeatedly. Her family tried to keep her away from the news as much as possible but it seems futile seeing that it has been quite the talk of the whole of Japan. It was even a miracle that her involvement with the accident never reached out, apart from her family. Even the whole hospital staff was sworn to secrecy. She remained safe, away from the news hungry mob. The corporation that Sesshoumaru owned must have used its connection again to let everyone think that he was alone during the accident. No one came out to testify otherwise.

But of course someone from his most trusted partners came to see her with utmost secrecy to know what happened first hand. Her heart broke once more as she relived the accident to the young human male looking youkai named Ryuuki. Probably another cloaking spell hid his youkai appearance, but his concern to her and the anguish that she saw in his eyes were real. He must have been someone close to Sesshomaru, and when she told him about the mating gift she saw the look of sympathy and the understanding of why things ended up as it had. He obviously knew about such a sacrifice and what it would cause. Before he finally goes, he gave her a hug, mindful of her injuries and told her that their company will help her in any possible way.

After that, she felt like she was moving in a different world, isolated from the rest, she was looking at everyone from behind a glass. Kagome could hear them talking, moving around her, but they meant nothing to her. There was nothing other than the dead numbness that filled the place, where her once life had been.

**OoOoO**

It's been nine months now after the tragic accident. Kagome never left her home, she barely leaves her room and silently sits near her window looking out at the shrine. She unconsciously touched her burned left cheek. The scar was rough with bumps and looked a bit hideous. It was still sensitive to her touch. She never looked at it; she even threw her bedroom mirror out when she first saw it. The corporation that Sesshomaru once owned contacts her and offers to help her get the best plastic surgeon but she refuses. She doesn't care about anything anymore…She survived…but she's not alive. Not without him.

Kagome draws her left knee and curled up, her finger tracing the long jagged scar along the side of her still stiff right leg, the scar ending to the back side of her ankle. She sat at her favorite place near her bedroom window. She can see the pathway that leads to the shrine well. It brings back memories…some good and some bad and others she just don't even want to remember, but most of these memories leads to Sesshomaru.

She tried to stifle her cries, sobbing silently through the memories that were haunting her. She could somehow feel his presence whenever she was alone. Especially at night, she could swear she saw him seating beside her bed, when a light touch of a kiss to her lips and gentle touch to her cheeks to wipe away her tears wakes her up in the middle of the night. It was him. She was sure of it as the moonlight shining in through her open window gave the ghostly apparition an ethereal glow. She could see his warm smile and those sad golden eyes looking at her. And when she tried to touch and reach him, her hand just passes through him and he will look so broken and look at her eyes before he slowly vanishes in front of her as he tries to touch her cheek once more.

It was always like that. She thought it must be a dream, but the feel of his touch remains, reminding her that it was not. She even thought she was going crazy and she would soon become a permanent resident of a white padded room and her only clothes will be those straightjackets. How fitting for someone going nuts.

Her family is getting worried for her more and more, especially when she insists to them that he was still with her. They started giving her that look that says their starting to consider contacting the nearest asylum for her. And so she stopped talking about it. It was now her secret. She tried to focus her reiki and found the swirling youki of her beloved taiyoukai still within her. It relaxes her to know she still has something that was part of him. It was also the reason why her injuries were healed with miraculous speed.

And during these meditations, she learned that he was still with her. His soul. And she'll be damned if she ever gave up that little bit of hope and chance to be with him. It took her a few more months to finally get the grasp of communicating with him.

**OoOoO**

"Sesshomaru?" she whispers as a cold breeze passes through her window and she felt his presence as coldness wraps around her in an embrace. She looked over her shoulder to see the see-through form of her beloved giving her a loving hug. She gave him a smile as he smiled back.

_"Koi, you shouldn't lock yourself away like this. You can't enjoy life if you keep yourself hidden within your room forever."_ He whispered, his voice eerily sounding like an echo from somewhere around her but not coming from his translucent lips.

She leaned closer to him, or at least tried to since all she could feel was cold nothingness in his form. How she misses his warmth. She sighed.

"I'll come out later. Maybe have a snack or something. But for now just let me be with you." She whispers again. She doesn't want her family to think that she finally lost it and send her to an asylum because she was talking to herself a lot.

_"Then please do. Try to live your life. Have fun…What you are you planning to do on our anniversary?"_ he asked. It has become their little private joke a while ago. They considered his death anniversary as their anniversary together since he moved in with her after that…well his soul moved in with her. She wasn't too bitter now about it because of his constant appearances beside her. Though he could still feel her sorrow amidst her smiles, and she still cried from time to time.

She looked at him and grins. "I don't know…maybe I should go look at the well…I could be alone there plus it will be a change in surroundings, right? I haven't really been there for years…so many memories."

_"Hn. If that is what you wish, koi…I will be there with you. As always."_

They sat there together for a while just relishing the moments of silence and reverie.

**OoOoO**

"Kagome-neechan, are you feeling okay now?" Souta asked as soon as she sat beside him on the couch and watched TV with him.

"Hn." An answer from Sesshomaru that seems to have rubbed off on to her. "What are you watching?"

"Oh…its anime…the plot was a bit complicated, it's about this girl who could travel through different dimensions of the future. And there are these guys from the future who want to get her so she can change their future or something…" He tried to explain as his eyes never left the television screen.

"Oh, okay must be interesting then." She answered though she's not that into it. She just wanted to let them see her out of her room from time to time. "Where's mom and ojiichan?"

"Mom's out to do some groceries and ojiichan is visiting some of his old friends. Mom left you some snacks, do you want me to get them for you?" he asked as he finally looked at her.

"That's fine I'll get them myself. You can just watch here and enjoy. Do you want anything from the kitchen?" she said as she messes his hair teasingly.

"No but, thanks neechan. I already have my snack here." He answered as he points at the half eaten sandwich on the plate in front of him and grinned at her.

She smiled at him before she walks towards the kitchen. She took her sandwich and a glass of juice with her and sat near her younger brother when her attention was caught by what the character from the anime that Souta was watching said, it was talking about the possibility of the future having many different dimensions depending on what your choices are. That each choice could lead to another and different future.

"A different ending for each action that could affect another future. The future isn't set in stone unlike the past. It could easily be altered by your choices. There could be numbers of different paths that leads to multiple futures. The choice is yours to take. It's the same as if you face a cliff and choose to jump, in that particular future you will surely die, but in the other dimension where you choose not to jump, you are still alive and the path from that particular choice still goes on unlike the other dimension where you die."

**OoOoO**

It was just a silly anime but she watched it whenever she could. Her family didn't mind as long as she could live with them again and not be cooped up in her room. And today isn't an exemption. They practically give her everything she needs as they bring her snacks and ask if she's comfortable enough on the couch. Then she remembered the date…It was exactly one year today.

"Mom, can I go outside for a while?" she asked. Her mom was obviously surprised by her sudden interest to go out, but was also relieved.

"Of course dear, do you want me to take you somewhere?"

"No mom. I'll just walk around the shrine. I'm not going anywhere far. Just need some fresh air." She answered as she took her sandwich with her and the small amount of money that her mother insists she must have just in case and slid out of the living room into the courtyard. It was silent outside and there were no visitors for the shrine. It was already in the middle of the afternoon. She silently walked towards the shrine well. It was a bit dusty; she shoved the last bit of her sandwich into her mouth and wipes her hands on her pants.

Kagome was wearing a black hooded shirt over her black straight cut pants and running shoes. She touched the bangle at her left wrist, twisting it around, out of habit. She seems to develop that particular mannerism lately since wearing it.

She silently walks onto the creaking floor of the well house as she slid the door shut behind her. She let her eyes adjust to the darkness before she walks toward the wooden staircase and into the well that sat innocently at the middle of the shrine. She sat on its rim, peering into its depth when she finally felt the sudden shifting of the air around her and the lowering of the temperature, the tell-tale sign of his appearance.

_"Happy anniversary koi,"_ He smiled at her lovingly.

"Happy anniversary to you, too, Koishi," She answered with a smile warming up their surroundings. Why they even celebrate his death she didn't want to think about it. As long as he is with her, she'll celebrate anything.

_"So what do you plan to do today, my beloved little miko?"_ he asked as he sat beside her.

She seems to think about it for a while before answering, grinning sheepishly. "Hmm… I don't know. I was hoping to go back in time and maybe change what happened on that day…" She said half joking and half serious as she stared at the black depth of the once time portal well.

Sesshomaru wrapped his translucent arms around her as he gave her a sorrowful look. _"My mate…you know that's not possible. You yourself said that the well lost its power when the shikon disappeared…I do not wish for you to be disappointed by any false hope, koi."_

"I know…" her grin falters."B-But if I could…I-If only I could…I will gladly do it even if it will cost me my life. I'll take the risk…" Her voice shaking with pent up emotions as she gazed up into his eyes.

He knew how much she felt the pain of losing him. He is here with her but not completely. Their incomplete bond keeps him with her, but it's not enough. Not even for him. He looks into the well as his grip on the rim tightened. How he wishes things turned out differently. But he would never regret the fact that he chose to give her his youki, that he had to endure being weak, just to give her a chance to live a long life although it was now for nothing. He died much too soon. The bond was not even complete yet. But for the life of him, he will never ever regret what he did for her.

Kagome looked at him as he stared at the well. She could feel his aura, now that he is nothing more than that, an aura, as his emotions touches her very soul. She looked into the depth of the well again and smiled. A very sad smile as she speaks. "Now then you temperamental well… you decided to close down on me … do you think you could at least let me have this chance to change things… you know…let me be happy for once?" she said although she knew it will not change anything. Just feeling like berating the well at the moment.

Then she continues as her fingers clutching the rim of the well tighten and her knuckles turn white with the force. "I just want to be happy… you send me back through time… I met all my friends in Sengoku Jidai because of you… I even met Sesshomaru because of your tampering with my life, I'm thankful for that… then after you decided to close down I met him again… but fate doesn't seem to appreciate me being happy, huh?...It's so unfair..." Her tears falling down her cheeks as her emotions came out pouring with every word. She sagged lower and leaned closer into the well as her tears flow more freely now down into the darkness. She felt the cold aura of Sesshomaru touching her shoulder. "…I just wish I could be with him…really be with him…" and as another drop of her tears falls down into the temperamental well, she felt the sudden pulsing energy and the warm and gentle pull.

Kagome gasped as she felt that familiar energy as it pulled her into the well, it was reaching out to her. The surprise unbalanced her and she tried to grasp desperately around to keep her from falling into the well. She was startled as she grabbed a clawed hand and stares into equally surprised looking golden eyes as they both fell into the blue translucent old magic that she was so familiar with. Sesshomaru pulls her closer into his body, trying to shield her if something bad where to happen. And then they descend ever so slowly as they felt their feet land on the ground. He tried to pick her up so he could jump out of the well with her, only to find out that he could no longer touch her again.

Kagome looked at him sadly and then they remembered that they were pulled into the well by that old magic. She didn't want to hope only to be disappointed again, but it was hard to keep the spark of hope that suddenly ignited within her. A spark reflecting into the depths of his golden eyes, he obviously thinks the same way as she. She climbs out of the well, Sesshomaru jumps out of it just as gracefully when he was still alive. It was still late afternoon. They creep slowly up to the sliding door of the well house. They could hear someone talking and so they silently opened it a bit so they could peak outside.

Kagome quickly covered her own mouth to keep herself from blurting out his name when they saw him, a very alive Sesshoumaru walking side by side with a very complete and not burned Kagome.

"We came back to that day… this is when we go to that restaurant and then later to the mountain, overlooking the city. Sesshoumaru… what should we do?" She whispers toward the still surprised taiyoukai.

_"I do not know if we could change what happened but if there is something we can do, we must first follow our other selves."_

Kagome nodded as they walked out of the well house and dashed down the stairs as soon as the red Ferrari was out of their sight.

_"I really liked that car."_

Kagome stopped dead in her track and whirled back at him gaping disbelievingly. "What?" she laughed. "You died in that car and all you can say now is how you liked that car?"

_"It was not the cars fault that I died there. And the car really was worth every penny I paid for it."_ He answered in a matter of fact way and shrugged nonchalantly.

Kagome just shook her head as she waives her hand to grab a taxi. She was thankful that her mother insisted that she had some money with her when she went out of the house.

They have but just a few hours to make a change. Why couldn't the temperamental well just send them a few more days earlier? _'I guess beggars can't be choosers.'_

**OoOoO**

They arrived at the five-star fine dining restaurant and it was getting really hard for her to stay incognito. Everyone was sending her suspicious looks. Must be because she was lurking behind bushes, parked cars and lamp posts, and the way she was dressed with all-black attire with a nasty burn scar in her face just shouted 'look-at-me-I'm-suspicious.' Not to mention, she really looked out of place outside the insanely-cost-a-lot restaurant.

She gave an irritated look at the see-through apparition of Sesshoumaru standing next to her. He never had to worry about the looks she was enduring. He's invisible for Kami's sake. His nonchalant façade irritated her. He's the one who's going to die, again, and he seems so relaxed about it. Then their other selves inside the restaurant stand up. She saw his clawed hand twitch. _'Well, I guess, he's not that relaxed about it after all.'_ She thought.

They never had the chance to do much at the restaurant, not with the looks and the sense of unwelcome-ness she was feeling.

**OoOoO**

They decided to wait for their other selves at the mountain and hide in the bushes where they or their past selves will be giving the mating gift. They were still cooking up a plan when the red Ferrari appears and parks beneath a tree a few meters from their hiding place. They hushed each other as they followed in tip toes, well Kagome did. Sesshoumaru just walked over since no one can see him, he realized it when they rode in the taxi, and the driver didn't even look his way.

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at Kagome when she blushed as their past selves kissed, completely unaware of their existence. _"I must really be too weak if I didn't even sense my own self lurking behind the bush or at least sense my little miko here."_

They argued silently as they tried to think of how to change what will soon happen. They obviously were running out of time. Just a few more hours and they would be leaving soon. He heard the other Kagome's painful whimpers behind the bush and then his past self-calming the miko. The mating gift was already received. He walked towards them knowing that he wouldn't be seen by either two. As he kneels beside the miko he saw her shivers.

"I better take you back home. It is getting cold." The living Sesshoumaru said.

"I guess we should…after all…we've got an eternity together, right?" The other Kagome answered as the ghost Sesshoumaru walked a few feet away from the two.

The two kissed again and he growled at the same time his living counterpart growled in the other Kagome's throat. He moved a little closer towards the two and the miko shivered once more.

"I really ought to take you home or you will be cold." The living Sesshomaru chuckled as he helped the other miko stand up.

The ghost Sesshomaru immediately and gracefully took the scarred miko, amazed and surprised that he could touch her again, placed her in his arms as they flew away from their counterparts.

"What should we do…we're running out of time and we still haven't changed anything." She's now nervous and her hope is starting to falter. Her hand unconsciously held and twists the bangle around her wrist. And then her eyes lit up. The whole accident happened right after he gave herthe bangle. It fell and he lost concentration when he tried to get it from under the car seat.

"The bangle, you lost your concentration when I dropped it. Maybe if we stopped them before that happens we could change something." She said to him, hopeful that he could think of a way to do something. But the car was already moving and they couldn't take it away from the car without risking being seen.

**OoOoO**

He used his miasma and flew ahead of the car as fast as he could until he saw the blind curve where he almost lost control and where Kagome dropped the bangle within the car. They stopped a few minutes ahead of the blind curve and he placed Kagome gently on the ground. They have but a few minutes more before the accident happens.

"I think if I could somehow stop the car even for a few minutes, somehow a change will happen. It is just about it. At the moment that is all that I can do." He answered as he walked into the downhill slope several feet up away from where Kagome was standing, waiting for the red car to appear.

Kagome's mind was in terrible jumble once more, the memory of the accident suddenly playing in full detail in her head. "It will happen soon… if nothing changed then he will die again…" her emotions in turmoil as she stared into her almost transparent mate. She covers her head with the hood of her shirt as she walks closer to the edge of the road.

Sesshomaru stared into the darkness and saw the tell-tale sign of car lights moving down the downhill road. He was so set into doing his plan that it was too late to realize one thing that could make it fail. He couldn't control when he could phase in or solidify to touch anything. And his fear was confirmed when the red car passes through him… and a few seconds more he heard a loud thud and the screeching sound of a forceful brake of a car.

_"Kagome!"_ He swirled around as fast as he could and dashed towards the car. He barely saw Kagome, the one seating within the car holding on to the left side of her head, a bit dazed but seemed to be fine. The living Sesshomaru was checking on her condition. The ghost Sesshomaru moved towards the front of the car and found the black clad Kagome sprawled to the ground. Her hood and hair covering her face as something dark seeped out beneath her head. He knew instantly it was her blood.

**OoOoO**

Kagome saw the ghost taiyoukai standing in the road waiting; he looked eerily like he was floating on the road because of his transparent state. Her eyes grew wide when she realized something and as soon as the car passed through him her blood ran cold. "He couldn't stop the car…he will surely die again…I can't…No…" and without any second thoughts, she jumped in front of the speeding car.

**OoOoO**

The living Sesshomaru cursed under his breath as soon as something black hit their car. Or did they hit it? He wasn't sure, but it just seemed to appear in front of them. He didn't have much time to avoid it. He looked at the miko beside him. She hit her head on the glass window, a little dazed by the impact but the seatbelt helped to prevent any grave injuries.

He opened his door to check on whatever it is that he hit. The scent of sakura blossoms, moonflower and rain instantly tickles his nostrils as soon as he walks toward the front of the car, and then the scent of blood…Kagome's blood. He looked into the car again. Kagome was still sitting there but looked fine. And then the scent of old magic lingers with the black clad body in front of him.

His blood beast growls, the blood and the mixture of sakura blossoms, moonflowers and rain that lingers from the body sprawled on the road was awakening it. Sesshomaru tried to leash the beast within as he kneeled down. His eyes grew wide as he realized that the scent of her body and of her blood was the same as the miko inside his car. The only difference was the lingering scent of old magic that surrounded her form. He reached out to move the hood and hair that was covering her face. He gasps as he saw the same face as Kagome, only this one has an ugly burn scar on her left cheek, a little bit thinner and very pale, probably because of blood lose. Then something glinted, catching his attention from her face, it was somewhere near her hands. The car lights were shining over her left hand and he saw in full view the bangle. He knew that bangle because it was one of a kind. The bangle he was planning to give Kagome inside the car.

"Kagome!" He gasped, it took him by surprise that he stood up and moved a few steps backward. Then he heard the miko within the car gasp in startled surprise. He quickly looked at her and saw her wide eyed, tears flowing down her cheeks looking just beyond him. He turned to look at what she was looking at but found nothing. And as soon as he turned around again to pick up the sprawled body, it was gone. Just the blood and her scent were left behind to the very confused taiyoukai…

**OoOoO**

The miko within the car was trying to ease the throbbing pain on the side of her head when she saw Sesshomaru kneel down in front of the car to see what they hit. She was afraid that it must be a person but he said he would handle it and forbid her to come out. But when she looked up, she saw another Sesshomaru looking at her through the windshield, he was wearing all black and she could swear that she could see the trees and the sky through him.

He was a bit translucent. Like a washed out version of her date. And then she saw him smile at her, she felt something clench her heart at the sadness radiating through his smile and the sorrow that washes over her from the eyes of the see-through Sesshomaru made her gasp as her tears fall down from all the grief that she felt. Then she saw her date stand up suddenly, overlapping the see-through Sesshomaru. He was obviously confused and startled.

**OoOoO**

The ghost Sesshoumaru just stood there as he looked at the living version of him studying the sprawled body of Kagome. He couldn't do much with his body and so he let himself look at the other Kagome, still a bit dazed within the car. He saw her look back at him. All his emotions, his heartaches, sorrow, loneliness, helplessness, sadness, and pain flowed through him at that instant. He knew that this moment had changed this future. At least the future of these two other versions of them did. It was worth it, right? It was still him…and she was still her… that should be enough…

He smiled at the other Kagome that will soon have a happy long life with his other self. Then he saw her gasp as tears fall down from her beautiful eyes. When he heard the living counterpart of him say her name, he waited for him to move and kneeled down in his place when living taiyoukai finally stood up.

He touched the pale face of his beloved miko, bloodied and broken. He felt the old magic of the well cover them both and their surroundings blured out of focus.

When he looked up again, he saw the roof of the well house covering the sky. Kagome sprawled beside him, unconscious, deathly pale and bloody. They are within the bone-eaters well again.

Sesshomaru tried to pick her up in his arms but again, his hands just passed through her. He cursed as he looked up and was about to jump out of the well to at least try and get some help when he felt someone grasp his hand. He looked down to see Kagome smiling at him as she pulled herself up to stand beside him.

_"How are you, koi?"_ He asked his concern touching every word.

"I'm fine now, Koishi. Better than ever…" she answered as she tiptoed to plant a kiss on his lips.

He answered her kiss with his and pulled her in a tight embrace. The feel of her body surprised him. It has been too long since he last felt her.

"But how-," his question just hung unfinished between them as his eyes fell on the sprawled body beside their feet. Lifeless, bloodied, cold, with unseeing open eyes…but with her lips curled up in a very contented smile…

"Kagome, you-"

Kagome kissed him again to silence him. She then moves away to look him in the eyes, her face now free from the hideous scar. "I guess the well grants our wishes… we made some changes… and now…I could be with you…**really** be with you, koishi." She whispered as she gives him another heated kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck while his arms held her tighter in a warm embrace.

After a while, her family tried to look for her when she didn't come back after dinner. They were so worried. A soft sound coming from the well caught her family's attention and they went straight to the well. When they saw her sprawled bloody body in the bottom of the well, they feared the worst. According to her death certificate that was issued by the hospital that took her body, she died from several injuries and internal bleeding that she must have gotten from falling into the dried well, her head hitting something hard beneath the well that caused massive bleeding.

**OoOoO**

"Koishi, what do you think happened then? You know… at the downhill pass?"

"I have no idea, koi. But I think something good happened, and that's all that matters."

He had already stopped thinking about it for quite some time now; it was almost a year since that accident happened. It only gave him a headache. They walked hand in hand up to the stairs that led to the shrine where her once home is. They promised to visit her family, and since he rarely had time off from work they decided to do it today. The memory of what happened a year ago still haunts him but he never told Kagome what he saw and just told her it was just a stray animal. Although Kagome told him that she saw an apparition of him that day. His brain was frazzled that night and an unknown sense of relief flowed within him when they saw an accident a few minutes from where they had theirs. A delivery truck was stuck in a tree. Apparently the driver had a heart attack, they heard it was just mild and he survived. But still the feeling of great relief at the sight of that accident is something he could never explain.

Sesshomaru led her to sit down on the stone bench in front of the Goshinboku. Once she was comfortably seated he gave her a small rectangular velvet shiny box.

She gave Sesshomaru a questioning look as she took it from his hand.

"Open it, koi. It is for you." He said his eyes looking intently at her face.

"You don't have to…" She mumbled.

Sesshomaru just gave her a smile as he sat beside her and he reached out to her with his left hand and gently squeezed her hand holding the velvet box.

"Nonsense, I want you to have that. And having you as my mate is more than enough, material things matter not to me."

Kagome smiled and opened the box. She gasped as soon as the gem-studded white gold bangle came into view.

"It's beautiful…thank you…though I think it is too much…still I thank you…I'll treasure it." She touched the blue crescent moon shaped diamond in the center of the bangle and was surprised to find it warm and pulsating with a bit of energy.

"It's a protection charm." He answered her inquiring look.

Kagome picked up the bangle from the box and gazed at the intricate design when she glimpsed at something embossed in the inner side of the bangle.

Sesshomaru gazed at her. The bangle was something he designed himself and specifically ordered to be made for her. It was delivered to him just before he picked her up and he had almost forgotten about it until they finally sat in the car to drive her home. But before he could even have the chance to give it to her, the weird accident happened and it somehow made him reluctant of even showing the bangle to her. But after that night nothing bad seemed to happen and so he decided to finally give her the gift.

He was anticipating seeing how she would react about it. He felt his pride swell up as she glowed in astonishment at the gift. He knew she was not like any of the other women who only see the monetary value of material things, Kagome looks at the thought behind it, but it wouldn't hurt to go overboard from time to time, he could afford it anyway.

Sesshomaru looked at her as she tried to read the embossed words within the bangle and smiled as she read it. "Even beyond eternity" She whispers those three words then smiled at him.

"Thank you, koishi." She said lovingly as she gave him a tight hug. "But I don't think there's anything beyond eternity." She grins at his chest.

"We could never be sure, my dear mate…but I am sure that even beyond death, I'll stay with you…" and he kissed her lips before she could even argue any further. The word death could incite certain arguments around her after the accident last year, though she can't explain why…

**OoOoO**

She twirls the bangle around her wrist as she sat down beside Souta. He was watching TV again since it is the weekend. Sesshoumaru went out for a while for a meeting while she took a nap.

"Kagome-neechan, are you feeling okay now?" Souta asked as soon as she sat beside him on the couch and watched TV with him. She was feeling a bit exhausted when they arrived from the long drive from Sesshomaru's mansion in Kyoto to her once home in Tokyo.

"Hn." An answer from Sesshomaru that seems to have rubbed off on to her. "What are you watching?"

"Oh…its anime…the plot was a bit complicated, it's about this girl who can travel through different dimensions of the future. And there are these guys from the future who want to get her so she can change their future or something…" He tried to explain as his eyes never left the television screen.

"Oh, okay, must be interesting then." She answered though she's not that into it. "Where's mom and ojiichan?"

"Mom's out to get some groceries and ojiichan is visiting some of his old friends. Mom left you some snacks, do you want me to get them for you?" he asked as he finally looked at her.

"That's fine, I'll get it myself. You can just watch here and enjoy. Do you want anything from the kitchen?" she said as she messes his hair teasingly.

"No but thanks neechan. I already have my snack here." He answered as he points at the half eaten sandwich on the plate in front of him and grinned at her.

She smiled at him before she walks toward the kitchen. She took her sandwich and a glass of juice with her and sat near her younger brother when her attention was caught by what the character from the anime that Souta was watching said, it was talking about the possibility of the future to have many different dimensions depending on what your choices are. That each choice could lead to another and different future.

"A different ending for each action that could affect another future, the future isn't set in stone unlike the past. It could easily be altered by your choices. There could be numbers of different paths that leads to multiple futures. The choice is yours to take. It's the same as if you face a cliff and choose to jump, in that particular future you will surely die, but in the other dimension where you choose not to jump, you are still alive and the path from that particular choice still goes on unlike the other dimension where you die."

She felt something tug at her heart…"whoa…de ja vu?…" she whispers then shook her head.

**OWARI?**

I hoped you liked my messed up story…It is kind of hard to understand with all those jumping through characters but if anyone of you got some questions please feel free to ask me through your reviews…And I want to remind you all that I have never been good in English subject… and that it is not my native tongue… only my subconscious mind speaks in English…though I honestly don't know why, but it did… it was really weird trying to listen in my head as it rubbles in English and me speaking in different language… And of course my grammar still sucks especially my past tense and past present tense, I never really had the hang of it, sorry*sigh*… My English is also very limited, sorry for any redundancy and poor choices of words… *grins* **But after some revisions done by the wonderful CASEDEPUTY (yeay! Give her a round of applause! ^_^), my first baby of a one-shot has gotten better…Thanks so much!**

The anime that Souta was watching was titled **NOEIN**. Not mine either. It's been so long since I last watched it. It is a bit complicated with all those time paradox things, quantum physics and …uhm…science stuffs… the dialogue of the character in that anime that I used for this fanfic is just made up though…anyway, please read and review…

LOVE YAH ALL!


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